Down in the Caves (The Host)
by theorderofthefandoms
Summary: Because there just isn t enough host fanfic out there. Stay tuned for some Ian/Jared action. (I decided to give this a try so please read and tell me if I should continue)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N, I´d like to give the host fanfic a try so here we go. I hope you like this chapter; please comment/review if you think I should continue.**

 **I do not own any of the characters, all credit to the original author.**

"Excuse me… What are you doing?" Ian called out to the huddled figure on the floor. There was no response. Instead it curled up tighter and started rocking back and forth on the hard stone floor. Ian moved closer to get a look at the face. In the gloomy passageway he had to bend down to see who it was. Ian peered into his hooded face and saw with a shock that it was none other than Jared, the newest recruit. He was staring straight ahead and tears were slanting down his cheeks.

"Uh, Jared…?" Ian gazed down, swinging his arms like a metronome. He suddenly felt awkward and unsure of what to do with himself. In front of him was a man whom he had only briefly met some days previously. And now he was sitting on the floor in the storage room sobbing silently. It was enough to make any guy uncomfortable. Ian almost laughed at the thought of what his brother Kyle would do in this situation. But Ian was, as he told himself on countless occasions not like his brother. There was someone who needed comforting and Ian was standing next to him. He looked around the room for any obvious reasons for Jared´s distress. There were none. Softly he lowered himself onto the ground until he was sitting across from Jared. They were uncomfortably cramped up in the narrow corridor.

"So you´re the new guy, right?" _Strong start,_ Ian found himself thinking. "The one who arrived a week ago with your little brother in a jeep,"

"Not my little brother," Jared had stopped his rocking and he was gazing intently at Ian´s feet. Tears were still glistening on his cheeks.

"Not your little brother?" Ian was confused, but still relieved that he´d finally got a response.

"Jamie is _her_ little brother," Jared´s voice was quiet. The way he said _her_ made Ian feel there was something more to it. And it wasn´t hard to guess what.

"Did you… Did you lose someone to _them_?" There was a tense silence, then;

"Yes." Tears were brimming in his eyes again.

"Oh, I´m sorry." He should have known. Everybody had lost somebody. Almost everyone had made their way to Jeb´s band of survivors by the skins of their teeth. And Jared´s losses were just more recent than the others. He was still staring at Ian´s feet and Ian himself didn´t have much to say so they sat in silence for a while.

"Ian! Goddammit what are you doing down there?" The voice of Jebediah Smith came floating down the corridor. Ian jumped to his feet and Jared dried his eyes on his sleeve as Jeb´s face swam into view.

"I sent yeh down a good half hour to-oh…" He had caught sight of Jared on the floor. His expression softened as he glanced back questioningly to Ian.

"I should probably get the…yeah…" He hefted a sack of flour onto his shoulder and started off down the corridor. Looking back, he saw Jeb kneeling down by Jared and speaking in a voice too soft to be heard. Best leave that kind of stuff to Jeb, was his last guilty thought as he rounded the next corner.


	2. Chapter 2

**_A\N I'm sorry for the longish pause, hopefully Iäll be able to pick up where I left off :)_**

 _Why does this keep happening to me?_ Jared wondered as he rounded a corner in the dark corridor and bumped head-first into Ian. The corridor was far too narrow to allow for any kind of personal space and the two of them were awkwardly entangled for a moment or two.

"Oops, sorry" Ian said, grinning as he let go of Jared's shoulders which he had recently clutched on to for support.

"It's no problem," Jared muttered. The grip of Ian's fingers on his shoulder lingered on like a splash of hot liquid. Without looking back, Jared hurried on along the corridor. Despite the dark, he thought he could sense Ian watching him leave. The feeling made him slightly uncomfortable. This encounter was one of many similar ones and to be honest, Jared reflected, a slightly less awkward one. The first time, Ian had caught him crying in the storage room. That had been several months ago, when Jared had just arrived, but the memory still made his face tinge with embarrassment. No oen had ever seen Jared cry before. By the fourth time Ian bumped into him in a narrow corridor, Jared started to suspect something. Was Ian following him? Had Jeb put him up to it? Did Jeb have Jared followed to make sure he didn't have a nervous breakdown alone in some dark abandoned corridor? It did not seem likely, but it did seem like something Ian could take upon himself. _Blast it,_ Jared thought. _I don't need a nanny._

Navigating the dark corridors had become second nature to Jared now. He was proud to say that he no longer needed assistance when it came to finding his way about. Jared had also managed to get assimilated to way of life down in the caves. It had always been natural to him that when work had to be done there was nothing for it but to get it done with. And also, the work helped him keep his mind of Melanie. Working our in the fields, or carrying heavy sacks of food was Jareds chance to get away from his thouhgts. He had long ago realized that a long days hard work kept the painful thoughts away better than anything else. Things had gotten so much more complicated since he'd arrived at the caves with Jamie. Now that each day was no longer a fight for survival, Jared found he had more time to himself than. He did not like it. Despite all the things Jared had down in the caves; food, water, clothes he couldn't help missing the way things were before. Melanie, the girl who had made him happy like none other and Jamie, the little brother he'd protect with his last breath. They made a good trio, Jared thought. Almost like a family. But now everything was messed up. The girl he'd sworn to protect had been taken and he'd gotten away. The regret and the sore pain of losing her that kept him awake at night throbbed constantly throughout the day. It was a reminder of his failure. A reminder that she was still somewhere out there worse that dead...

Suddenly Jared felt a tap on his shoulder. He'd been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed Jeb sneak up behind him.

"Yeh doin alright there?" Jeb asked gruffly.

"I'm fine" Jared's tone was restricted.

"Alright then, there's just something I need to ask yeh." Jeb's voice revealed nothing. "We're running low on food supplies at the moment. I know you're new here, and it goes without saying I won't force you anywhere-"

"I'll do it." to his astonishment, Jeb didn't even look surprised. The truth was Jared had been waiting for an opportunity like this. A chance to get out of the darkness and the monotony of his life. Here was a chance for some action.

"Good. You leave tomorrow at nightfall. And you better be careful out there. You should know there are several precautions and guidelines to follow. Make sure you listen to Ian; he's in charge." With that Jeb left him. Jared continued on his way, slightly more hopeful. Now he had something to look forward to.


End file.
